Have a cough that seems to be worse at night?

A postnasal drip can irritate the throat and cause a cough that becomes worse at night as more dripping occurs when you are lying down to sleep. — Wikimedia Commons

I had a cold. Then I began to have a cough. The cough lasted for weeks and weeks. I became very worried, thinking I had something worse, and I went to a doctor who told me that it is postnasal drip. What in the world is that?

Postnasal drip is a condition when more mucus than average gathers from your nose or sinuses, and drips down the back of your throat or pharynx.

You will naturally have mucus because the glands in your nose and throat make it.

Mucus is useful because it functions by:

• Moistening and cleansing the lining of your nose.
• Moistening the air that you breathe.
• Trapping and clearing off anything you inhale that may possibly hurt your bronchus and lungs.
• Fighting infections by destroying bacteria and viruses before they can come inside to invade your bronchus and lungs.

Mucus is normal, and you normally produce a quart of it (946 millilitres) in your nose a day.

But why don’t I feel this mucus most of the time?

Normally, your nose mucus mixes with your saliva and drips down the back of your throat.

You don’t notice it because you automatically swallow it.

It is only when you produce more mucus than normal and it gathers at the back of your throat, or if your mucus is thicker than normal, that you will notice it.

You may feel it as a tickle in the back of your throat, and you have an urge to clear it.

You may cough as a result of it.

How is a postnasal drip different from a runny nose?

A runny nose is when you have a lot of mucus being secreted from the lining of your nostrils, i.e. more mucus than normal.

This is usually in response to an infection or inflammation, or allergies.

When this mucus runs down the back of your throat and irritates it, it is then called a postnasal drip.

How is a postnasal drip different from a cough then?

A cough is a symptom.

It can be caused by many diseases, including infections, asthma and cancer.

It is usually a result of something irritating your throat, larynx, trachea, bronchus or lungs.

A cough can be a symptom of postnasal drip.

A postnasal drip can cause irritation and a sore throat at first.

Then it can build up to a cough that is worse at night because when you are in a prone position (while sleeping), that’s when a lot of dripping occurs.

Is a cold the only thing causing postnasal drip?

No, there are many things that can trigger your nasal passages and sinuses to produce more mucus than normal.

Postnasal drip can be caused by:

• Allergies – this is one of the commonest causes.
• Colds and flu (i.e. upper respiratory tract infections)
• Sinusitis
• Cold weather, or experiencing sudden temperature changes (e.g. from a cool air-conditioned building to hot weather outside)
• Dry air (e.g. in a dry climate or when you’ve stayed too long in an air-conditioned room)
• Deviated nasal septum, where one of your nasal passages is smaller than the other, resulting in mucus not draining properly
• Spicy food
• Gastrointestinal reflux
• Pregnancy
• Certain medicines like high blood pressure pills
• Sensitivity to bright lights
• Fumes from chemicals, cleaning products, smoke and even perfume.

My mucus is yellow in colour. Is this dangerous?

Normal mucus is actually clear.

If your mucus has different colours, it can mean different things.

White or cloudy mucus often means that it is thicker.

It becomes white instead of being clear because it has lost moisture.

Yellow mucus means your infection is getting worse.

It can be caused by viral or bacterial infections.

It is yellow because of your own white blood cells that are rushing to the area to fight the infection.

Green mucus means the infection is even worse.

Your mucus becomes green because so many of your white blood cells have died fighting the infection.

Brown mucus can be caused by dried blood because you blew your nose too hard.

Smokers can also have brown or black mucus due to cigarettes.

Pink or red mucus can be a sign of bleeding in your nose.

How can I get rid of my postnasal drip?

Honestly, it can be hard to get rid of.

First, the doctor will have to treat the cause of it.

If you have a viral infection, you may be given supportive and symptomatic treatments such as antihistamines to reduce your mucus production.

You may also be given decongestants, nasal sprays and lozenges for your inflamed throat.

You need to drink plenty of water.

Warm liquids can help thin out the excess mucus.

If it is a bacterial infection, which can be diagnosed by the colour of your mucus, you may be given antibiotics.

If you have allergies, the doctor can try to determine the cause of your allergy.

You should then avoid the allergen, which can be pollen or animal dander for example.

You can also be given antihistamines to stem the inflammation, and steroid nasal sprays.

If the condition is severe, you may also be given oral steroids.

Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health, computers and entertainment. For further information, email [e-mail]. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.